Purpleheart

Description

A purplish hardwood obtained from species in the genus Peltogyne that are native to tropical regions of Central and South America. Purpleheart or amaranth, wood has a fine, uniform texture and grain that is straight or slightly roey. The durable, shock-resistant wood is sometimes used for carving and for vehicle construction.

Synonyms and Related Terms

Peltogyne; amaranth (wood); violet wood; amarante (Fr.); amaranto (Esp.) ; pau roxo (Port.)

Other Properties

Tree grows to heights of 50 m and diameter of 1 m. Specific gravity = 0.8-1.0 (air dry)

Density	60-65 ppcf

Additional Images

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  Purpleheart (Amaranth) (Peltogyne paniculata)

Authority

• Gordon Hanlon, contributed information, 1998

• Ralph Mayer, A Dictionary of Art Terms and Techniques, Harper and Row Publishers, New York, 1969 (also 1945 printing)

• F. H. Titmuss, Commercial Timbers of the World, The Technical Press Ltd., London, 1965